This invention relates to a lens cleaning apparatus and more particularly to a fluid and air nozzle for use with vehicles equipped with both pressurized air systems and pressurized windshield cleaning fluid systems, such as commonly found in commercial transport trucks and certain automobiles.
Due to the excessive mileage that commercial carriers undergo between washings, the headlight, taillight and other lens surfaces of transport trucks frequently become dirty or laden with snow and ice. Devices have been employed that clean headlights and it is known to direct pressurized air and fluid against headlights for this purpose as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,088. U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,468 relates to a headlight cleaning assembly that cleans vehicle headlights by using first and second nozzles for jetting an air/fluid mixture against the headlight surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,339 shows a lens cleaning apparatus employing a nozzle which cleans the lens in reciprocating movements of the arm.
A problem with the prior art is that most headlight washer nozzles are custom fitted to certain vehicles in the vicinity of the headlights, and are not adjustable. Thus, these nozzles are not readily fitted to other vehicles for either factory installations or after market installations.
Another problem arises with vehicles employing cameras, such as video cameras, to assist in the driver being able to see blind spots behind and beside the vehicle, as when backing up. Such applications are common in refuse haulers, buses and large recreational vehicles, for example. If the lens becomes dirty from road spray or dust, or the like, the driver""s view may be compromised.
In accordance with the present invention a fluid and air nozzle for lens cleaning systems is provided for use with vehicles that have both pressurized air on board and a pressurized washer system for the windshield wipers. The invention includes a fluid outlet nozzle and an air outlet nozzle contained in a single housing capable of being directly mounted to the outer skin of the vehicle in the vicinity of the lens. The air outlet nozzle is positioned so as to combine its air jet with a jet of cleaning fluid from the fluid outlet nozzle so as to form a spray that impinges forcefully against the lens thereby cleaning the headlight.
In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle is adapted to provide an adjustable trajectory for the spray stream of the combined air and lens cleaning fluid.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved fluid-air system for cleaning lenses on vehicles.
It a further object of the invention to provide an improved fluid-air system for cleaning dirt, snow and ice from vehicle tail lamps, stop lamps, marker lamps and clearance lamps on vehicles.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved system for cleaning vehicle camera lenses.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved system for cleaning vehicle collision avoidance sensors, mirrors and the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide a fluid-air cleaning system for vehicles of the type that have pressurized air on board and also have a manually activated pressurized windshield washer system in combination with the windshield wipers, the washer system having nozzle outlets capable of being mounted adjacent the headlights and also having valve means that automatically activate the lens cleaning system upon activation of the windshield washer system.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lens cleaning system for a vehicle that is separate and independent of the vehicle windshield washing system.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid-air nozzle for a vehicle lens cleaning system that allows for adjustment of the trajectory of the fluid-air spray stream that impinges upon the lenses.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fluid-air nozzle for a vehicle lens cleaning system that allows for positioning the nozzle on the vehicle in the vicinity of a lens to attain optimal cleaning.